A conventional manner for restraining batteries such as in the automotive industry is to support the battery in a tray and utilize a battery holddown which abuts the top of the battery and is drawn toward the tray utilizing bolts. It can also be appreciated that batteries come in a variety of case sizes depending upon the power requirements, the particular battery design, and the like and also depending upon the particular manufacturer. Often a replacement or substitute battery is of a different case size than the original battery such that the holddown for the original battery cannot be used with the replacement or substitute battery. Thus, added expense is encountered by the automobile owner because in addition to the battery, at least the holddown of the battery restraint system also has to be replaced. Additionally, added expense to the manufacturer and supplier of battery holddowns occurs as battery holddowns for all sizes of batteries manufactured are generally required to be maintained in inventory.
Although known, most adjustable battery holddowns to fit different sizes of batteries in the past have not achieved the same commercial success as nonadjustable battery holddowns. Particularly, the adjustment mechanisms of prior adjustable battery holddowns were typically of a complicated design and were susceptible to corrosion from battery acid and other elements in the environment. Although adjustable when manufactured, corrosion often locked components together or otherwise prevented adjustment such that replacement was necessary if a different size battery was desired to be held. Additionally, some adjustable battery holddowns were adjustable in only a single direction such as length such that they could not be utilized with batteries of different sizes in the direction which they were not adjustable.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,377,947 and 5,547,160 to Johnson were intended to overcome these limitations in the prior art. However, the Johnson devices present other problems in use. For instance, the brackets described in the Johnson patents require relative pivoting and translational movement of the brackets during assembly and disassembly. The disassembly process thus requires that the nuts restraining the brackets be almost completely, if not completely, removed from the bracket in order to allow the first pivoting motion. In addition, the Johnson devices provide for adjustment of length only to predetermined increments and do not provide for length adjustment while engaging the bolts and battery tray. The Johnson brackets are also difficult to handle since, when not drawn tight against a battery they separate.
A length adjustable battery restraint is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,206 to Burkholder et al. The Burkholder et al. restraint utilizes two support members which extend upwardly from a frame and a strap structure which restrains a battery. While Burkholder et al. allows for adjustment of the length of strap structure, it requires pivoting of the structure, assembly of straps with respect to the strap structure, pivoting of the structure back into restraining position and connection of the strap to a support member. The use of numerous parts to allow length adjustment is costly and complicated. In addition, Burkholder et al. does not provide for height adjustment.
Thus, a need continues to exist for an improved battery holddown which is able to restrain batteries of different sizes and which overcomes the problems which were encountered by prior adjustable battery holddowns.